


How To Write Fan Fictions

by PhoenixNinja101



Series: From The Minds Of An Author [3]
Category: Original Work
Genre: Basic Tips, Good Writing, Guides, How To Write, Writers, Writing For Amateurs
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-14
Updated: 2020-09-22
Packaged: 2021-03-01 16:42:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 3,570
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23650261
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PhoenixNinja101/pseuds/PhoenixNinja101
Summary: [PhoenixNinja's Writing Tips 101]Admit It: We All Need This
Series: From The Minds Of An Author [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1662439
Kudos: 10





	1. 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> If there is any thing I learned from our Inquiries teacher that teaches Philosophy and uses sophisticated English instead of providing lessons we can actually use for our research paper, it’s that not all synonymous words have the same meaning or level.

**1: Know Your Words**

If there is any thing I learned from our Inquiries teacher that teaches Philosophy and uses sophisticated English instead of providing lessons we can actually use for our research paper, it’s that not all synonymous words have the same meaning or level.

If, for example, using the word ‘spread’ has become an abundance in your story, you should know that using ‘scatter’ is fine but can also be wrong depending on the context.

If we’re talking about ways in which you can describe a group of people ‘spreading out’ to search for something, using ‘scatter’ is fine. But you should know that ‘spreading out’ means deliberately going in different directions so as to not search the same place together and maximize the number of people in a search party. ‘Scatter’ may mean the same thing, but it’s actually more random than that. In this case, the word ‘disperse’ may be of better use.

When making a sandwich, however, both ‘scatter’ and ‘disperse’ may not be suitable alternatives for ‘spread’. You can’t scatter peanut butter, you can only ‘wipe’ it (though it’s not recommended as it’s too vague – and no, ‘rub’ is inappropriate as well unless you want your sandwich to end up mashed since the word is ‘rougher’) or ‘apply’ it – in which case, it’s better to look for other ways to describe the action.

As you can see, there are other ways to put actions into words than using synonyms. You can describe ‘spread’ into ‘going into different directions’ and ‘caress’ as ‘running his hand through (noun)’ etc.

Of course, using synonyms can also be good if only to avoid using the same words repeatedly. I would recommend  Merriam-Webster¹ to check whether the words you’re using are similar and applicable to the synonyms you’re looking for. There’s also  _ Thesaurus² _ – but of course, before you proceed to this step, you must also be familiar with the English language and proper spellings.

Aside from being part of the basics, it would be best to learn proper grammar first. Most writers fail in setting the tone of the story and its ‘atmosphere’ when they make this mistake despite using ‘big words’. You could say – it ruins the mood.

For me, I still haven’t mastered this step myself – but it would do us well to follow it, I assure you.

**~~~CHAO!!!~~~**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1: Merriam-Webster - any dictionary is fine, but Merriam-Webster is an offline app where I’m most comfortable with using since it’s the first thing I’ve ever used. It also has Thesaurus now.
> 
> 2: Thesaurus - it shows the synonyms of a word, but it’s also more broad and suggests other words whose meanings are close enough to what you’re looking for.


	2. 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> But as readers, our inner voice read sentences according to how it is written.

**2: Learn To Breathe**

One of the basics of writing includes the use of punctuations, of course. For this, I don’t mean its proper use or placing – as authors, I trust that this is something you have mastered in grade school.

When it comes to writing a story – be it fan fictions or original stories, we use commas to make a pause in our sentences. So, why am I pointing this out exactly?

As story writers, we write descriptively and at times, poetically. There are times when we describe an action twice – if only to add more to the mood or to make it more descriptive. For example:

> _ “He  _ **_sighed_ ** _ ,  _ _ letting out a breath _ _ he didn’t know he had as he…” OR “He  _ _ breathed out _ _ ,  _ **_exhaling_ ** _ exasperatedly while…” _

In the given example, the words underlined describe the ones in bold lettering. They are placed in the same sentence because they are describing the same action. There are also cases when we use commas to cut off sentences that we deem too long. This is because authors tend to prolong sentences – ‘tis why we resort to commas and periods. Another example:

> _ “He sighed, letting out a breath he didn’t know he had as he sat down on his brown settee, relishing on the softness as he shut his eyes, tiredly leaning back to rest, ignoring the vibrating device beside him, opting to answer messages on his phone at a later time.” _

Surely I don’t have to explain the difference between breath and breathe, do I?

Anyway, another way to describe this is:

> _ “He sighed letting out a breath he didn’t know he had as he sat down on his brown settee relishing on the softness as he shut his eyes tiredly leaning back to rest, ignoring the vibrating device beside him opting to answer messages on his phone at a later time.” _

–And as you probably noticed, there’s nothing wrong with the sentence. But as readers, our inner voices read sentences according to how it is written. When in italic, you imagine that it’s said in almost a whisper, or maybe in emphasis, but reading bold makes a booming voice in our minds. This applies to the use of commas and periods too – if you fancy yourself going out of breath after reading one sentence, well, you do you.

Suffice to say, it’s preferable to give our dear readers room to breathe.

Of course, we should also avoid overusing periods.

> _ “He sighed. He stood up. Stretching his body, he yawned. He scratched his head, groaning. He was annoyed. His sleep was disturbed.” _

Too. Many. Pauses. It’s like, having to constantly slow down your car after speeding up because of road bumps. It’s annoying. To us readers, the effect of commas and periods are different in our inner voices. Admit it.

So pleasepleaseplease avoid it.

**~~~CHAO!!!~~~**


	3. 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Don’t be a smartass.

**3: Don’t Make It Wordy**

Don’t be a smartass.

I’m sure your English teachers/professors have taught you once: don’t use high-falutin words. It’s fine to show-off how smart you are with words sometimes, but readers won’t appreciate it as much as you do.

Simple is better.

But if you want to be creative, that’s fine – as long as you elaborate it at least. Let me give you an example:

> _ “He rolled his eyes, turning to the brunette as he grabbed the broom off the floor. “It’s not like he does any work, either.” he muttered sotto voce, voice quiet enough for only his companion to hear.” _

Using context clues, ‘sotto voce’ can be used to replace the word ‘quietly’. If you had used that alone, it would leave your readers confused and perhaps outraged at having been forced to use Google dictionary to search for word meanings. It is, simply put, inconvenient for us and makes the experience less enjoyable.

Other than that, while prolonging descriptions is the best way to set the tone of the story, avoid making it too wordy. For instance:

> _ “He released an exasperated breath, tiredly breathing out a sigh as he exhaled in exhaustion.” _

I’m putting this here because I’ve encountered instances where writers prolong their sentences way more than necessary. Usually, there’s nothing wrong with that, but this? He just sighed, man, and it was described at least three times. You could have stopped at:

> _ “He released an exasperated breath, tiredly breathing out a sigh.” _

–But  _ nooo _ , you just had to add another. The word ‘sigh’ was described thrice: ‘released an exasperated breath’, ‘breathing out’, and ‘exhaled’. That’s… overkill.

In summary, avoid showing off too much, else you’ll bore your readers.

Of course, even in writing, not everything is black and white. The same can be said vice versa. Like how we shouldn’t prolong our writings, we also mustn't write one that’s too short. If you’re going to write a story like that, then it’s not a story; it’s a script.

Trust me,  _ I know _ . You have no idea how often I’ve been forced to become a scriptwriter during school plays where I often end up doing everything on my own. It’s, ahh… a very unpleasant experience that caused me to lose interest in writing.

**~~~CHAO!!!~~~**


	4. 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You know, other than putting emphasis in a word, formats can also be used to put a tone in the story.

**4: Make Use Of Formatting**

You know, other than putting emphasis in a word, formats can also be used to put a tone in the story.

Like adding flashbacks, for example, in order to avoid confusion from the readers, they are often italicized to create a _gentle tone_ in the story. When you see italicized words, it’s usually a character’s thought – and there it is! Flashbacks come from the mind, so using italics make it more distinguishable to the readers than just using line breaks to separate scenes.

I’ve seen some authors use bold instead – and trust me, it has a different impact than italics. Using bold format brings a more **domineering** presence to the story. It is best used for expressing anger or simply putting emphasis and setting the tone.

If I were  Hinata Shouyou¹  , I’d explain italics as _whoosh!_ – like a gentle breeze while bold is like **bam!** – like a booming sound that echoes in the silence of the room.

But because bold formatting is the most dominant in text formatting, it is encouraged to avoid using it too much.

Let’s not forget about underlines. This one’s vaguer than the other two as it can have many uses. It can function as a format to separate a different tone – like using a separate language, maybe, or also putting emphasis on something that may serve as a clue to the future.

When writing stories and you want to avoid overusing bold text – you could always replace it with underlines. However, it will depend on you on how these formats are used in the end. For me, I either use italics, underlined, or the combination of both. I rarely use bold and when I do, I use it to indicate what point-of-view I use or for line breaks and author’s notes but at times, I use it for dialogue when the atmosphere is tense.

Nevertheless, up to you.

**~~~CHAO!!!~~~**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1: Hinata Shouyou - a character from Haikyuu!! (a sports anime about volleyball).


	5. 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> And so, I wonder, is that within the bounds of the story?

**5: Don’t Overdo It**

I once read a story about a nerd and a bully (‘tis what the plot says) – roughly three of twenty-two chapters later, the nerd went through a transformation and became the most popular girl in school – not only that, but the boy has been in love with her ever since the first chapter when he first saw the nerd’s true face without glasses.

The title is something along the lines of ‘love behind glasses’ and so, I wonder, is that within the bounds of the story?

Of course not!

When writing a story, avoid making double plots like the anime  _ ‘ _ _ Sword Art Online¹’ _ .

I’m serious. I stopped watching that for the sole reason that they put two plots in one season. The other half was spent in another game – it could’ve been moved in the next season.

Basically, I’m saying not to exceed your own story’s limits. If you have a specific story in mind, stick with that.

Let me refresh your minds, fellow authors.

There are five parts of a story: the exposition, the rising action, climax, falling action, and the resolution.

Briefly explained, the introduction of the whole plot is found at the exposition, followed by the rising action where the excitement for the story begins to build up by revealing the problem that the main protagonist is about to face. In the climax, this is where the main character faces this problem as it is the highest point of the story – to which is then solved in the resolution, or where the conclusion for the story is shown.

There is only one climax – because every mountain has only one tip at the top.

Making double plots make your story directionless – like, where did  _ that _ come from? That wasn’t in the plot. Or was that unplanned?

It’s like, when the main characters are finally done with their problem, another rises. And it’s like playing with your reader’s adrenaline system – or adrenal glands, whatever.

If you wish to continue the story further, my advice is to write it in a separate book – the rest can be said vice versa; don’t separate a story into two books if it revolves around the same plot.

**~~~CHAO!!!~~~**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1: Sword Art Online - an isekai anime that’s rather popular for some reason (?).


	6. 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Here’s a rookie mistake we all came across at least once: being overly descriptive.

**6: Avoid Too Much Detail**

Here’s a rookie mistake we all came across at least once: being overly descriptive.

Everyone seems to think that the longer a story is, the better it is written – and the descriptions make up for length, apparently but that’s wrong. Nope.

We get that you desire to express what you can see through words so other people can see it too, but keep in mind that one’s mind can never be the exact replica of another – we think differently. So if you want to show your readers what you want them to picture in their mind, that’s fine. But sometimes adding too much detail that is irrelevant to the story makes people lose interest in reading.

One example of this is describing the interior of a house – down to the dust. Most go overboard by explaining what the house looked like from the first floor to the attic. If you wish to give a description for the setting, only show what the character can actually  _ see _ . Like this:

> _ “When he entered the house, the first thing he noticed was the evident black and white color scheme – a minimalist design. From the center of the living room was a large black settee located in front of a flat-screen TV. Between them was a small table that had a white teacup on top, used. The lights were on, but the emitted brightness was too dim, making it difficult to identify other details in the room.” _

Other than that, we should also avoid lacking details. It’s alright to be vague about it and make your readers think – to make it more mysterious and such. But know that a story no one understands is as blurry as the pair of glasses you wear when drinking hot coffee. Make context clues, make it as vague as possible – but understand that no mystery becomes solved with not enough clues.

Imagine reading a story chapter with 4,000 words but half of it is written to describe how the house looks like, what clothes the characters wore, and a short bit of dialogue.

See? No progress in the story plot. You can’t honestly call that a story, can you?

**~~~CHAO!!!~~~**


	7. 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Not all authors are fond of cursing.

**7: Don’t Censor**

Not all authors are fond of cursing. Of course, you can see this from the stories they’ve written.

Reasons? Maybe it’s their age – maybe they understand that they’re too young for such foul language. But what would I know? I started cursing when I was in first grade.

But it could be just their choice, y’know? Maybe they’re worried for young readers?

Nevertheless, when you want to add some swearing into your story, you best replace it with the lighter version rather than censoring it.

Trust me. As a reader myself, I hate having to read asterisks in a story. It’s blocking the dialogue in my head when I’m reading. Not to mention, it makes your story annoying to look at. I’m not even talking about censorship alone. This includes the overuse of symbols in the story. It just hurts the eyes – very unpleasant to look at.

I’m not encouraging the use of swear words – rather, keep it minimal and not over-the-top unless it’s part of the character’s personality – but don’t overdo it lest it ends up being, well… for lack of better words: cringe-worthy.

So how do we go about this instead? Rather than censor it, why not replace it with minor ones?

In my country, ‘putang ina mo’ roughly translates to ‘son of a bitch’, but it carries the meaning of ‘fuck you’ instead. That doesn’t make us inconsiderate, however, just for having used that curse word even when we’re surprised, happy, or angry. We could be sensitive to other people’s feelings too – and by that, we say ‘pusang kinalbo’ which sounds almost like it but has a different meaning instead. If you were wondering, it means ‘a cat that was shaved bald’ or ‘a bald cat’.

The English language is particularly creative when it comes to this. Ever heard of:

> _ ‘ _ **_S_ ** _ ugar,  _ **_H_ ** _ oney,  _ **_I_ ** _ ced  _ **_T_ ** _ ea!’ _

You probably did. But if you haven’t got it – it is a play on words for the acronym of ‘S.H.I.T.’.

This isn’t just what I meant by replacing swear words. You can change ‘damn’ to ‘darn’ or ‘heck’ to ‘hell’ – because if hell was a swear word, maybe having a foul mouth might’ve been considered holy.

But that’s not what I’m trying to say here.

I’m saying: don’t be a pussy. No – wait, that’s too harsh. I mean, don’t be a  _ wimp _ ; (wo)man up and use your words. This is literature, not a school paper.

Writing allows us freedom – gives us space to type in what we can’t say out loud, provides an escape for our wonderful imaginations to come to life, and lets us expose our thoughts in creative ways. So if you want to swear, why not? No need to hold back for the sake of someone else.

But if you insist, let’s discuss that at a later chapter.

**~~~CHAO!!!~~~**


	8. 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> If you’re worried about your readers, that’s what the warnings are for.

**8: Provide Warnings**

**PART 1**

As mentioned in the previous chapter,  **Chapter 7: Don’t Censor** , there shouldn’t be any words being blocked in stories.

If you’re worried about your readers, that’s what the warnings are for.

When providing warnings, as easier it is for readers to see it in the first chapter or in the story description, warnings should always be present before it happens in the story. It could be written at the top of the chapter, or just add a line-break to separate particular scenes that may be sensitive for the audience.

As irritating as it is to have an abundance of warning, the readers should always know what to expect from what they’re reading.

The warnings usually put in the description is to show readers what to expect from the story, have them know what it will contain and give them the option to stop reading before it gets to it. The warnings on each chapter, on the other hand, are more for a heads-up for the readers.

If you wish to surprise the readers with the scene, warnings are often put in the author’s note above since people usually ignore those.

But, see, that’s not ALL that I meant when providing warnings. Since this whole book is written solely for the Dos and Don’ts of writing Fan Fictions, then… let me break it down for you.

**PART 2**

Unlike regular stories, fan fiction usually requires more warnings for the reader. Why? Well, do you _want_ to receive hate-mails and bashing in the comments from enraged readers from a specific fandom?

Let’s talk about ships and fiction genres.

Unlike original stories where the audience have no basis on the characters, there is almost no need to build up character when it comes to fan fiction. With their background already provided, what’s left is to fit the characters into the story. But it’s _fan fiction_ , and if I have to emphasize it again:  **fan** fiction . It is a self-indulgent story where a fan has free reign over the plot using canon characters from their favorite shows, movies, books, etc. That’s where the ships come in.

Fans have favorites, unlike stories with original characters where readers don’t automatically have a character they dote on. And sometimes, not everyone will like whatever happens on the show. That’s why they turn to fan fictions; to write up what they wanted to happen instead of following canonical events. And before we delve too deep into the meaning of fan fiction, let’s face it, ships are practically common knowledge now (I hope you know what it means because I will **not** be explaining it further).

Which brings us back to my current point, warnings are a _must_ especially for the ships. In fandoms, fans are free to write out everything they want, including the settings whether it’s  canon compliant¹  or  canon divergent²  , _and_ they have complete control over the characters and who they end up with.

So ships, huh? There are shipping wars, fighting over who is best to end up with who. Not everyone will agree with your opinion, so warnings are **greatly appreciated**.

While some authors prefer to keep the pairings a secret to avoid spoilers, let us be considerate for our readers. Putting the main pairing is important since they will be the center of the story, but side-pairings are just as relevant as well.

Nothing hurts more than reading a multi-chaptered fanfic with an unpleasant pairing that appeared halfway through the story making you backtrack and wonder why the fuck you wasted time reading 24 of 33 chapters if you’re gonna stop reading anyway.

And yes, this did happen to me. I read a fic with a specific pairing _written in the story description_ and do you know what happened? The heroine died along with her brother and the protagonist ended up marrying the heroine’s sister-in-law (since the husband, the heroine’s brother died). I have never seen a ‘take care of my family when I’m gone’ taken so seriously before.

I lamented over the time I wasted reading all 286 chapters to arrive at the 287th chapter for months. You should know how much a story can affect a person emotionally and physically.

If you’re worried about spoilers… there’s honestly no reason for hiding pairings now, is there? But if you’re writing something with a love triangle, then a simple ‘possible character 1/character 2’ will suffice.

Lastly, the genres. Fan fictions have more genres compared to regular stories. This includes yaoi and yuri. I’m pretty sure that’s self-explanatory.

While there’s nothing wrong with it, not everyone will be so open about it, so best be cautious and put up the tags/warnings.

**~~~CHAO!!!~~~**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1: Canon Compliant - from the word itself, the story plot complies with canonical events.
> 
> 2: Canon Divergence - fan fictions where some information and events are changed from canon including the settings, example being alternate universes (AUs).


End file.
